Auto Workers of the World Unite . . .

By

John B. Schnapp

Updated Jan. 25, 2006 12:01 a.m. ET

General Motors and Ford, bleeding cash and market share, have vowed to cut 60,000 jobs over the next half-dozen years. So far, though, they have been unable to request, much less obtain, more than token economic first-aid from the United Automobile Workers. A recent modest health-care "give-up" proposal at Ford provoked angry union militants to accuse their president, Ron Gettlefinger, of rank appeasement and was endorsed by a vote of only 51% to 49%. Ford's announcement of its "Way Forward" downsizing has led UAW leaders to grouse that both auto makers should be mobilizing to increase sales...